Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: AP20 software update 1.05.01

This is topic AP20 software update 1.05.01 - Details? in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-13-2016, 04:29 PM:

Our AP20s are telling me that this update is available to install (both are currently on 1.05.00).

However, I can't find anything online in the way of release notes or information as to what functions this update patches, adds or removes. Datasat's website says that there are no product support documents for the AP20 available - just the manuals.

Does anyone have any details of what this update does? My rule of thumb with updating the software or firmware in mission critical equipment is only to do it if the new version adds or fixes something that we use or are likely to use: otherwise, I see no reason to risk destabilizing functions that we need to work reliably and are known to do so with the existing version.

Thanks in advance.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 03-13-2016, 05:12 PM:

I know it works with Dirac 2 and that the advanced System screen - where you can access everything - has been re-designed.
There is also an HDMI section where you can see the status of the signal, cannot remember if it was there before.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 03-14-2016, 08:33 PM:

Datasat tech support will supply a release-note file to you on request, as their website suffers from some issues.

In short:

----
Version: 105.01 Build Date Wed Dec 2 14:18:58 PST 2015
1. Dirac version 2 support. May now choose between Dirac 1 and Dirac 2 on the System Setup 2 screen (Menu → System → More). When Dirac 1 is selected the Home screen will display “Dirac”. When Dirac 2 is selected the Home screen will display “Dirac 2”.
2. HDMI:
a. Added support for HSR-41 board including firmware programming and latest firmware version.
b. Added HDMI status screen (Menu → System → Formats → Format Options → Decoder Setup → HDMI). Note: To access this screen the input source needs to be HDMI.
c. Added additional 4K resolutions and Chroma sub-sample rate 4:2:0.
d. Changed display of HSR firmware from Rel Ver Rev to Ver Rel Rev.

3. Updated layout of Expert Nav Mode screen.
4. Automation Serial Port – Added parity options: None, Even, Odd.
5. Increased length of Identity Screen field (Menu → System → More) from 19 characters to 39 characters.
6. Fixed Channel Invert setting not being saved.
7. Fixed display of H539 option board voltages.
8. Fixed issue with multiple format changes in Macro in which only the last format change takes effect. This was due to format changes deferred during RUNMACRO command received from the network.
9. Removed Cs/Hcs channel labels from the Digital Cinema Format Options screen.
----

- Carsten

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-14-2016, 11:11 PM:

Thanks Carsten - much appreciated.

So this update is mainly about HDMI. We don't use the HDMI board at all on one of our machines, and use it for audio input only on the other (i.e. we don't pass video through it).

The serial port options could be useful if we ever use them with another DCP server that does not allow us to set them per the AP20's current, fixed requirements, but are not needed at present.

My inclination is to install it on the non-HDMI machine and test it thoroughly to see if its behavior with our existing sources changes significantly, and if that doesn't reveal any gremlins, try it on the other (much more important and mission critical) one. My understanding is that we can roll back to 1.05.00 if that causes any problem (unlike with DSS200 updates, which are a one-way ticket), which makes it a bit less risky.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 03-15-2016, 05:17 AM:

At first it seems strange such a minor number establishes something like a seemingly big thing like DIRAC1 vs DIRAC2, but...

I will install it today. Never had issues with reverting back to previous numbers, though only did it for test purposes, never had a real need to revert.

- Carsten

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 03-16-2016, 08:36 PM:

Wow - a tiny xx.xx.01 version step, but it brings a full HDMI signal and EDID monitor. Now that IS very useful.

The HSR-41 board is a new version of the previous HDMI switcher board. This new version supports 4k/30p for full HDMI1.4a signal compatibility. Datasat tech support tells me this board can be retrofitted to existing older AP20. Don't know about the price.

I guess it was must for the RS20i where 4k HDMI is important for high-end home cinema users, and as such, fit's the AP20 as well, as they share a common hardware platform. (New RS20i now support HDMI 2.0)

Interesting, the new HDMI status page has a dedicated firmware upgrade option just for this board.

- Carsten

Posted by Magnus Eriksson (Member # 6085) on 03-17-2016, 02:21 AM:

Recommended update?
I´m passing a site with two AP20:s in an hour or so...
/M.E.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 03-17-2016, 12:01 PM:

I'd say so, yes.

- Carsten

Posted by Trevor Cable (Member # 6086) on 03-17-2016, 02:32 PM:

We updated to this latest upgrade while troubleshooting some HDMI image banding. As the update didn't fix our issue we upgraded the HDMI firmware. Big mistake!

HDMI firmware update FAILED and now we have no HDMI use. Unlike many people here we use HDMI all the time. Still waiting to hear back from support. Unlike the System software there is no going back to an earlier version with the HDMI version. Going back on the system version didn't it.

Posted by Magnus Eriksson (Member # 6085) on 03-17-2016, 06:55 PM:

I did stop by the mentioned site and the update to 1.05.01 went fine (two units of different age)
Regarding Trevor´s trouble I think I will put further updates on hold [Frown]

/M.E.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 03-17-2016, 07:24 PM:

I was hesitating to update the HDMI firmware for a few seconds as well - then went on, as I never had issues with Datasat firmwares. No problem for us.

Not clear which benefits the HDMI-only upgrade has. I guess it's safe to do the 1.05.01 main update, but leave out the HDMI update for a while.

Good luck, Trevor!

- Carsten

Posted by Trevor Cable (Member # 6086) on 03-18-2016, 10:39 AM:

I tried upgrading again this morning and it did work. 5th times a charm I guess. HDMI working again as it should.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 03-18-2016, 06:57 PM:

Good to know, there seems to be a (more or less) solid fallback for failed updates. Doesn't pay back the adrenaline, though ;-)

- Carsten

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 03-19-2016, 03:13 PM:

Hmm, we have a slightly different behaviour of the HDMI connection after this HDMI firmware update. I am not yet sure what is gping on, but it causes some confusion around the window allocation of our ad-player windows PC. It seems that before the update, the AP20 maintained the EDID from our Sony, or signaled a generic 1920/1080p60 sink to the PC all the time, so, the PC saw a steady 1080p sink, no matter if the projector was actually turned on or not.
Now it seems that when our projector is switched on, the connection between PC, AP20 and projector is reinitialized.

That is no big thing under normal conditions, but it seems for us that the PC is notified a secondary display change for a short time, and thus reorganizes the window/display allocation. That alone wouldn't be so bad, but when we have applications running, their windows go onto the secondary display and do not come back. For now, we have developed a fall back procedure for our staff to deal with this until we have time to further analyze the problem.

I don't think this is an issue for most users, especially not for Bluray/DVD/Set-Top boxes. But if you use a PCs secondary monitor output through an AP20 HDMI, I would be careful with the HDMI firmware update.

It seems safe, though, to only upgrade the AP20 base software to 1.05.01. Just stay away from the HDMI update on the new HDMI status page until this issue is fully understood. The new HDMI and EDID monitor works without the HDMI upgrade just as well, so you can use that new functionality without performing the HDMI firmware update.

- Carsten

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 03-20-2016, 04:06 AM:

Thanks Carsten for the heads up!

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 04-01-2016, 02:28 PM:

Carsten,
Today I had trouble with a scaler and the previous HDMI FW version, I updated to the latest version and it worked like a charm. I guess that the issue you discovered can be useful on some occasions...

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 04-01-2016, 03:46 PM:

It may be, as a matter of fact, I am not blaming the firmware update itself, as the problem is more the behaviour of our PC. I would just love being able to revert to the previous firmware in cases like this. It's such a small issue in itself, but it causes big trouble for our staff.

I'm in contact with Datasat about this.

I really love the HDMI status and EDID monitor in 1.05.01

- Carsten

Posted by Christian Hove (Member # 6743) on 11-23-2016, 07:52 AM:

Hi Carsten
How did the HSR firmware update story end?
Did you get a response from Datasat?

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 11-25-2016, 08:09 AM:

We did get response from Datasat, yes, however, so far they couldn't resolve the issue we have. They would only suggest we get a replacement HDMI switcher board with an older firmware version. For some reason they do not seem to be able to extend the HDMI firmware upgrade routine to revert to older firmwares as it is possible for the main software. A general main software downgrade doesn't touch the HDMI board firmware.

We do get along so far with a cheap EDID manager/maintainer. It's not a show stopper, and clearly, it's not actually a bug or Datasats fault. Other than them not being able to supply a firmware downgrade for the HDMI board only.

I guess that for most people the changed behavior is not even noticeable. It's just a weird but consistent interaction between our PC, AP20 and our Sony. And it wasn't there before the upgrade. And it's not specific to this very PC, as I experienced similar issues when trying with different notebooks (some reacted even worse than our regular presentation PC). You could argue that until the new HDMI firmware, the previous one may have actually just masked a specific HDMI behaviour of the Sony projector, so, you could blame Sony or the Sony firmware just as well.

Note that you can still safely update your AP20 to 1.05.01 in that respect - just don't perform the separate HDMI board firmware upgrade that is offered now within the system/HDMI monitor screen.

- Carsten

Posted by Christian Hove (Member # 6743) on 11-28-2016, 04:34 AM:

Thanks for the update, Carsten.